Severing attachment for sewing machines



Feb. 28, 1956 H. BlERMAN l-:TAL

sEvERTNG ATTACHMENT EoR SEWING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 5,1951 Feb. 28, 1956 H. BIERMAN ETAL 2,736,282

SEVERING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 5, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 2 ,ZM/91.27 /J LD ZZ@ ze Z/c f' l *C Feb. 28, 1956 H.BIERMAN ET Al. 2,736,282

SEVERING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 5. 1951 v l ssheets-sheet s United States Patent SEVERING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWINGMACHINES Herbert Bierman, New York, Harry Blum, Bronx, and PhilipPantuosco, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignors to Selectay GloveCorporation, New York, N. Y.

Application March 5, 195,1, Serial No'. 213,978

2 Claims. (Cl. 112-130) This application relates to a process andmeansfor application of strip or likeV lengthy material to articles,such as gloves, corsets, and the like, for' finishing purposes.

lt is one of the objects of the present invention to provide meansaffording sewing of strip material of different lengths onto gloves andlike articles tocomplete and finish the same whereby strips cut todifferent lengths form the fourchettes or keils' of the fingers of theglove.

it is another objectof thepresent invention to provide meansfacilitating application of lengthy strip material to the fingers of aglove providing fourchettes therefor, and cutting said strip material topredetermined length after it has been combined with the article wherebyconsiderable reduction in waste of material and of working time isachieved.

lt is still a further object of the present invention to provide meansconducive to a marked decrease in the manufacturing cost of gloves,corsets and similar wearing apparel in which endless strip material islemployed, fed, guided and sewn to the article, and subsequentlycut.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide meansrendering the possibility of simplifying the heretofore knownoperational steps in glove and vsimilar manufacturing processesY whilesimultaneously increasing the rate of safety for the worker.

StillA another object'of the present invention is to provide meansfacilitating speedy operation in the manufacture of gloves and likewearing apparel and resulting in an improved appearance of the finishedgloveand like product while strip material: from a supply rollis used inmaking fourchettes or keils and cutting same to required lengthsubstantially exactly coeXtensive with the corresponding fingers of alglove and immediately upon termination ofv respective sewing operations.

It is alscan object of the present invention to' provide meansadapting-a conventional sewingmachine to serve as a cuttingmechanism forlengthy fabric orlike strip orA tape after the same has been sewn onto abody of fabric er like pliable material, means being further providedpreventing untimely operation of said cutting mechanisrnl sov as toinsure safety for the operator and `to guard against rejects,impairment, defects and other damage ofthe body from which the finishedproduct is obtained.

These and other objects; and features will become apparent from thefollowing' detailed description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings:

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows, in rear elevation, part of a sewingrnachine with a cuttingmechanism according to the invention;

Fig, 2 is a side, elevation Yofthe-machine with the mechanisml seeninrFig. 1.

Fig. 3;is afragmentary frontfelevation of the machine with cutting.-mechanism;

Fig..4,v showsn a glove in'vdeveljopedzform towhich the processaccording to the present inventiorrisA applied;

Iii-g.4 5l is. afragmentaryrsectional View oftwof super- 2,736,282Patented Feb. 28, 1956 posedA and stitched pieces of material employedin the manufacture of the glove;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a. view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the lower part ofthe sewing machine only which is provided with attachments for folding alengthy tape material and guiding same for the ensuing sewing andcutting operations performed on saidmachine;

Fig. 8 is a front view of the lower part seen in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a section of the attachment drawn to an enlarged scale andtaken along line 9 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to that of Fig. 4, showing the inside of ablank. of a glove in the process of being finished with the aid offourchettes passed through the attachment shown in Figs. 7 to 9;

Fig; 11 is a section drawn to an enlarged scale and takenA along line-11`11 of Fig. l0;

Fig. 12 shows schematically the drive for the cutting mechanism;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged section taken along line 13-13 of Fig. l2; and

Fig. 14 is an end View of Fig. l2, showing only the lower part thereof.

For a thorough understanding of the invention, reference is firstmade-to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 showing some operational steps inthe'manufacture of a glove. A blank 20 (Fig. 4) has been die-cut orotherwise preformed and comprises-a number of lobes designed to form thefingers 21a and 2lb (forminga unit) and the further lobes 22a, 22b, 23a,23b, 24a and 24b: Lobes 21a and 2lb are shaped to form the foreiinger,lobes 22a and 22b the middle finger, lobes 23a and 23h' the ring finger,and lobes 24u and 24bthe little finger of the finished glove; only partsof the lobes 22b, 23b and 2`4b are shown in the drawing.

Complementing the respective lobes (for example 21a at 21d and'22a at22d) in order to finish the glove fingers are fourchettes 21C, 22e` and23e. It will be seen that part of strip 21C is attached to fingerportion 21av along edge stitching 21d while the remaining part of strip21e isV joined to lobe 22a along edge stitching 22d according to arrowsA, B; Similarly, one portion of a different length fourchette strip 22eis sewn onto lobe 22a aty 22e, while the remainder of said strip isconnected to lobe or finger portion'23aV along edge stitching 23d(according to arrows C, D), and finally one portion of fourchette strip23e is attached to lobe 23aalong edge stitching- 23e, while the otherportion of said strip is aixed onto lobe 24a along edge stitching 24d(according to arrow E), each fourchette sewing operation being performeduninterruptedly.

lt will be understood that for the completion of the forenger the freeedge of lobe 2lb is sewn onto the free edge of strip 21e oppositestitching 2id; th'e'middle finger is completed by sewing the edges oflobe 22b to the free edges of strips 21C and 22C opposite the stitchings22d and22e;

The ring finger is finished in analogous manner by sewing the edges` of'lobe 23b onto the free edges of strips. 22CV and 23e opposite thestitchings 23d and 23e; and the little finger is produced by sewing theedges of lobe 24b to the free edges of lobe 24a and of strip 23o onopposite sides ofthe stitching 24d.

T he invention is primarily concerned with the Operational steps leadingup to the stage of completion of said glove as illustrated in Fig. 4,and more particularly with the steps of'guiding and sewing the strips211C, 22e and 23e in place and cutting them to size. In accordance withthe. invention, the strips 21C, 22e and 23e are cut oneafter' theotherfrom a roll or other supplyof tape,

each strip being sewn in a single operation to the two lobes or fingerportions associated therewith.

First the ltape is placed with its end 25 coextensive and flush with theend of finer portion 21a and then stitched along edges 21d and 22d onlobes 21a and 22a. Thereafter a cut is made at 26 just at or close tothe end of lobe 22a to obtain fourchette 21C of substantially exactlength as required for the linal length thereof. In similar manner, anend of the tape is then placed adjacent the end of portion 22a as shownat 27, followed by stitching at 22e, 23d and a cutting operation issubsequently performed to sever the endless tape at 28 and to form thestrip of fourchette 22C.

The end of the tape is finally aligned with the outer end of the fingerportion 23a, as shown at 29, whereupon the stitchings 23e and 24d aremade; after this the tape is cut at 30, thus forming the fourchette 23C.The final cuts at 26, 28 and 30 occur substantially coextensive with orjust above the end of the respective finger end portions 22a, 23a and24a and not a distance away from the latter as indicated in dotted linesat 26a, 28a and 30a, as would be the case if strips 21C, 22e` and 23ewould be cut by hand and by means of scissors, as is now usually done.

Thus, enormous waste of strip material isy eliminated with a mechanismabout to be described.

If the stitching is carried out by machine, the portion of tape designedto form the fourchette and the adjacent finger portion of the blank 20may be superposed upon each other, as shown in Fig. for the portion 22aand the fourchette 22C, whereupon the two strips are run through themachine to form the stitches such as 22e. After sewing, the superposedpieces may be spread and turned inside out as shown in Fig. 6.

A machine adapted to perform the stitching and cutting operations justdescribed has been illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3. The conventionalparts of this machine include the head 31, the cloth plate or worksurface 32, the presser foot 33 carried by a presser foot bar 34 andcontrolled by an operating lever 35, the needle 36 traversed by thethread 37 and depending from a needle bar 38, the looper 39 adapted toengage the thread 37 entrained by the needle 36, and the feed rack ordog 40 serving to advance the cloth or like material 41 over the plate32, this dog moving in a slot of the feed plate 42 inserted in theplate. Guide means for the thread 37 are shown at 43 and 44.

In accordance with the invention there is secured to the head 31, bymeans of screws 45 and 46, a body or housing 47 in which a vertical rod48 is slidably held, this rod being urged upwardly by a coil spring 49surrounding the rod within the housing 47 and bearing against a collaror ring 50 fixed to the rod by means of a set screw 51. The position ofthe ring 50 on the rod 48 is adjustable by virtue of an elongated cutout52, provided in the housing 47, which gives access to the set screw 51.Another set screw 53, projecting laterally from the rod 4S, serves as ameans to prevent rotation of the rod by sliding in a slot 54 of thehousing 47.

Secured to the lower end of the rod 48, which projects from the lowerend of the housing 47 forwardly/of the presser foot 33, is a bracket 55which is held on the rod by a screw 56 and acts as an abutment limitingthe upward displacement of the rod. Bracket or holder 55 has twodepending lugs 57, 58 bridged by a pin 59 on which there is pivoted aU-shaped mounting member or .hanger 60 which is acted upon by one end ofcoil sp'rmg 61 surrounding the pin 59, the other end of this springengaging the bracket 55 so as to tend to swing the member 60counter-clockwise as viewed in Flg. 2, i. e. toward the presser foot 33.

A blade 62, having an upwardly slanting knife or cutting edge 63, issecured to the member 60 and is provided with a downward projection OIextension 64 which extends below the suitably slotted needle or feedplate 42; this projection is positively retained and guided between astrip of metal 65, fixed to the plate 42 rearwardly of the blade 62, anda backing plate 66, attached to the feed plate to the rear of the bladeand provided with a horizontal and stationary upper cutting edge 67which comes up flush with the top surface of feed plate or Worksupporting surface 42.

It will be noted that coil spring 61 urges the eXtension 64 into firmcontact with the backing plate 66, thus insuring smooth co-operationbetween the cutting edges 63, 67 which sever the strip of cloth, leatheror similar tape, 41 in a drawn cut when the blade 62 is lowered relativeto plate 42 by a mechanism about to be described.

Swivelled on the top of housing 47, with the aid of a pivot bolt 68, isa lever 69 provided on its underside with a cam surface 70 which bearsupon the tip of the rod 48. Lever 69 has a plurality of tapped holes orperforations 71, differently spaced from the pivot 68, which may beselectively engaged by a pivot screw 72 around which swings a link 73,the latter being similarly joined at 74 to an extremity of a two-armlever 75 Which is pivoted at its center 76 to the machine head 31 andwhich has its other extremity engaged, at 77, by an operating rodelement 78. When element 78, which may be a wire, thin rod or cord, ispulled down, by hand or by a treadle (not shown), the levers 75, 73 and69 are swung around their respective pivots into the positionillustrated in dot and dash lines, and the cam surface 70 depresses therod 48 against the action of spring 49 to cause the blade 62 to cut thetape 41.-

It will be noted that the length of the stroke of the guillotine blade62 may be varied by inserting the pivot screw 72 into a dilferentperforation 71. It is further to be mentioned that the cutting edge ofblade 62 may have any other profile (scallop-shaped, arc-shaped, etc.)according to the purpose intended.

It will be understood that in the manufacture of a glove as shown inFig. 4, the operator will actuate the mechanism 69--78 upon noticingduring sewing operation that the end of the linger lobe has been reachedand when tape 41 becomes coextensive with said end (as hereinaboveexplained) rod 78 will be pulled to cause severance of tape 41 by meansof blade 62.

From Fig. l it will be seen that the linked ends of the lever members 73and 75 swing past the operating lever 35 when the blade 62 is beingdepressed, this movement being possible only when lever 35 is in itslower or operating position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2. In theother extreme or upper position of -the lever, in which the presser foot33 is lifted olf the plate 32 as shown in dot and dash lines, the swingof the lever and of the other lever members connected therewith will beblocked by lever 35 after a short movement, so -that accidentalactuation of the cutter mechanism during adjustment of the fabric blankand tape or at other inopportune moments will be prevented.

It will be apparent that the actuation of the operating lever arm 75 maybe brought about, if desired, automatically, e. g. by means of suitablefeeler-controlled relays or with the aid of switches responsive to themovement of a template conforming to the outline of the blank 20.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate guide and folding means for the tape from whichfourchettes are manufactured to be attached to a glove blank or body.Thus the blank in Fig. l0 is provided with finger portions 121a, 121k,122:1, 123m, etc. and has strips 121C, 122e, 123C, etc. sewn to it bycorresponding stitchings 121d, 122:1, 122e, 123d, etc. The differencebetween the gloves shown in Figs. 4 and 10 is that in Ilthe latter case,as best seen in Fig. ll, the fourchettes (kips), such as 123C, arefolded over at their edges, such as 1231, and are affixed by thestitchings 123e.

123g indicates in dottedV lines again the extent of the Wests f Strip,Vmaterial heretofore tiene;Ssari'lyy ensued and 110W' Completelyeliminated according te the linvention. In Fig. 7 there is shown howtape 141, before reaching the work table 132 underneath the needle 136,is taken from aI supply roll 79 from which it passes around a guideroller 80 toward the presser foot 133. In order to carry out automaticfolding of the tape 141 before the stitching'operation,I presserfoot133-has been combinedwith a tubularattachment 81jextendingtherefromtoward the guide roller 80 and forming a channel within which the tapeis received; asbest shown in Figs. 8 and 9, iiat tubular attachment 81is bent over at 82 to cause doublingupof the tape 141 asrit emergestherefrom at lower end.83.

It is`v toV be noted that the foldedy over wall 82. ofthe e foldingattachment is provided with a sight piece 85 indicating the extent ofthe fold of tape 141 at fold end 141f next to the stitching 141e whichalso traverses blank 120.

In order to provide a suitable permanent guide and abutment for the tape141 in lateral direction and with respect to the lobes of blank 120, apin 132a is set in plate 142, so that even if presser foot 133 togetherwith folding attachment 81 are lifted, the fed folded tape portion willnot laterally give.

An automatic drive for the knife 62 of the the sewing machine isillustrated in Fig. 12 according to which a cam wheel 100 is employed toautomatically regulate the cutting operation in accordance with dierentlengths of stitchings and fourchettes employed in a glove structurehaving a predetermined finger size or length. The cam wheel 100 ismounted on the machine frame or head structure 31 (Fig. 13) by means ofan interchangeable machine screw 101.

This cam wheel 100 is driven from the main shaft 102 of the machinewhich is accommodated within the base thereof through a worm 103 andworm wheel 104 which is seated on a transverse shaft 105. Thistransverse shaft 105 carries at its free end a pinion 106 which, inturn, is in mesh with a suitable reduction gear 107 which drives camwheel 100.

This reduction gear 107 is joined to cam wheel 100 in any appropriatemanner and is spaced from the frame or head 31 by a suitable spacerelement 108 seated on the screw 101. On the cam wheel 100 there areprovided, in the present instance, three suitably shaped cam members109, 110, 111 which are adapted to co-act with a cam follower 112connected to the pusher rod or link 78. This rod 78 is joined to thedouble-armed lever 75, as hereinabove disclosed, so that a furtherexplanation of the lever connections of the drive for operating thecutting blade 62 can be omitted. I

Follower 112 is urged by a spring 113 which surrounds the lower part ofpusher rod 78 and abuts against a predetermined portion of the headstructure 31 of the machine (Fig. l2).

It will be noted that the cam members 109, 110 and 111 and the follower112 have cooperating surfaces 109a, ln, Illa and 112e, respectively,which when the follower surface 112a is in contact, for instance, withthe cam surface 109e and when the cam wheel 100 is driven in thedirection of arrow Z, cause successively a rising of the follower 112 inthe direction of arrow X until it reaches the peak and the end of thecam surface 109a, whereupon the follower surface 112b is urged to slidealongside a similar cam surface 109b while spring 113 presses follower112 in the direction of the cam wheel body 100 (as indicated by arrow Yin Fig. 12).

Pusher rod 78 is thus instantaneously shifted and brings about movementof the cutting blade 62 through the link and drive mechanism, ashereinabove mentioned.

Since the distance between the cam members 109, 110 and 111 on cam wheel100 are different from each other (in accordance with the lengths of thefourchettes to be sewn to the various finger lengths 21a, 22C and 23C) vformed on the respective fourchettes.

If, for instane,'fourchette^has been stitched along finger or lobeV 23a'and subs`e q1,1e1v1t f "n 'g lobe 24a and reaches the end ofthestitching at. n the clutch of the machine will becomeineffective ina. we known. manner while the. follower 112y performsfi'tsfinsantaneousfdownward movementY in the 'direction of arrow Y afndV causesthe cutting blade 62ft'o cut theftape 23e at thev very? end 30 of thevfourchette 23e (seef 4),.

It is further to be noted'tliat the spring 113 is stronger than thespring 49 to overcome the action of the latter and to bring about theinstantaneous cutting operation of blade 62 whereupon spring 49 willbecome eiective to return blade 62 to` its uppermost or inoperativeposition.

It is well to be mentioned that the distance between the cams may bearranged for relative adjustment on cam wheel in any suitable manner, ifdesired, or a new cam wheel with predetermined cam distances may beemployed and fixed in place by means of screw 101 on the machine frame31 in accordance with the variations of fourchette lengths commensuratewith the different sizes of gloves to be sewn and worked upon. Owing tothe fact that different glove sizes vary in the proportions of thefourchettes and their stitchings with respect to each other, the camwheel 100 with respective cams 109, 110 and 111 is interchangeablymounted and may be replaced by a similar cam wheel with differentsettings, shapes and distances of cams to correspond to the actualchanges necessitated by different sizes of gloves.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown and hereindescribed, it will be understood that the same are capable ofmodifications without departure from the general scope and spirit of theinvention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. ln a sewing machine having a work surface provided with a slot;severing means detachably securable to a portion of said machine, saidsevering means comprising a vertically reciprocable cutter bar,adjustable spring means surrounding said cutter bar and normallymaintaining said cutter bar in a position spaced from said work surface,a springedly disposed cutting blade, means pivotally mounting saidcutting blade with respect to said cutter bar, said cutting blade beingdisposed to extend transversely of the direction of feed of theworkpiece on said work surface, said cutting blade being provided with apositive guide extension arranged for movement within said slot of saidwork surface and further provided with a first cutting edge normallydisposed above said work surface in a position corresponding to saidnormal position of said cutter bar, a fixed member adjacent said slotand defining a second cutting edge complementary to said first cuttingedge and Xed substantially flush with said work surface, resilient meanswound around said pivot means and urging said first cutting edge of saidcutting blade into operative cutting contact against said second cuttingedge, and means for actuating said cutter bar and for periodicallydepressing the latter against the action of said spring means anddriving said first cutting edge into said slot and against said secondcutting edge to thereby sever said workpiece on said work surface.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination, with a work surface providedwith a slot, of a spring-biased and swingable cutting blade providedwith an extension projecting into and positively guided in said slot andfurther provided with a first cutting edge normally positioned aboveSaid slot and said work surface, a plate member in said slot andprovided With a complementary cutting edge and substantially flush withsaid work surface, a mechanism for depressing said cutting blade anddriving said rst cutting edge thereof into said slot against saidcomplementary cutting edge to thereby sever a strip material whenpositioned on said Work surface, said mechanism including a vertical rodwith said cutting blade secured to the lower end thereof, a body, anactuating member operatively connected with said rod and mounted on saidbody, a control arm pivoted to said body, link means adjustablyconnecting said control arm with said actuating member, thereby en-Vabling variations in the stroke of said cutting blade, a verticallydisplaceable holder for said cutting blade, means on said holder forpivotally connecting said holder with said cutting blade, and springmeans onv said holder urging said cutting blade extension into contactwith said plate member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS668,184 Hill et al. Feb. 19, 1901 1,065,941 Holtzman July l, 19131,225,165 Onderdonk May 8, 1917 1,387,012 Ringe Aug. 9, 1921 1,473,611De Voe Nov. 13, 1923 1,731,496 isabelle Oct, 15, 1929 2,329,590 CharneySept. 14, 1943 2,434,044 Levine Jan. 6, 1948

